Balachandran S et al., 2026·Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC
To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reproductive outcomes in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and the influence of material and social deprivation on these outcomes.
This retrospective cohort study included RPL patients seen at a specialized clinic between March 1, 2018, and February 28, 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups based on care period: pre-pandemic (March 1, 2018-February 29, 2020) and pandemic (March 1, 2020-February 28, 2022). Cumulative probabilities of birth were estimated using the cumulative incidence function within a competing risk framework, treating pregnancy loss as a competing event. Fine and Gray regression models calculated sub-distribution hazard ratio (sHR) of birth.
544 patients were included in the study, with 255 in the pre-pandemic group and 289 in the pandemic group. Individuals in the pandemic group were less likely to achieve pregnancy than those in the pre-pandemic group (relative risk = 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39 - 0.66). Among those who conceived, the cumulative probability of live birth was 0.77 in both groups. Relative to individuals residing in high-social deprivation neighborhoods, those living in moderately deprived areas had higher sub-distribution hazards of live birth (adjusted sHR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.25 - 3.10; P = 0.003).
Within specialized RPL care and a universal maternity care system, pregnancy rates were lower during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, among those who conceived, the probability of achieving a live birth remained similar between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss · Immune and Thrombophilia Factors
Balachandran S et al., 2025·Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC·Free to read
To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care received by patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in British Columbia, Canada. To explore the differential impact of socioeconomic status on health care utilization outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic for patients with RPL.
This is a retrospective cohort study of patients from an RPL clinic located within a tertiary referral centre. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the date of their initial visit to the clinic: (1) pre-pandemic group (March 1, 2018-February 28, 2020) and (2) pandemic group (March 1, 2020-February 28, 2022). Data were sourced from the RPL Clinic Database and Population Data BC. Outcomes assessed included visit trends, immediate pandemic impact, and socioeconomic effects.
Demographic and clinical characteristics were not significantly different between study groups, except for increased referral rates to fertility clinics by the RPL clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic (4.90% vs. 9.50%). The mean number of visits per patient was comparable between pre-pandemic (3.50 ± 2.00) and during the pandemic (3.40 ± 3.40). However, monthly initial visits were lower during the pandemic (12.50 ± 3.10) compared with pre-pandemic (14.40 ± 4.83). Telehealth was rare in the pre-pandemic period and increased dramatically during the pandemic, with virtual visits reaching up to 64% of total and 94% of initial visits. The pandemic's onset caused immediate drops in total (38.80%) and initial visits (51.70%). Health care utilization was higher among those with less material deprivation, whereas contrasting effects were observed in those with less social deprivation.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the care received by patients with RPL within a tertiary care centre. There was a shift in how services were provided to patients, uniquely impacting specific populations within the community.
Eckler R et al., 2025·PloS one·Free full text on PubMed Central
To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic's onset on clinical and demographic characteristics, pregnancy complications, and monthly conception rates resulting in births through spontaneous conceptions and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in British Columbia (BC), Canada.
This retrospective population-based cohort study examined individuals who gave birth (both live births and stillbirths) in BC between June 1, 2010, and March 31, 2021, with estimated conception dates from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2020. Data were obtained from the BC Perinatal Data Registry. Two groups were identified based on the estimated conception date: the pre-pandemic conception group (conception from January-1-2010 to February-29-2020) and the pandemic conception group (conception from March-1-2020 to June-30-2020). A time series forecasting method (ARIMA) was employed to observe trends in conception rates during the study period.
304,244 individuals with pregnancies resulting in live births or stillbirths during the study period were evaluated. A total of 429,843 such conceptions were included in the study: 417,753 (97.2%) occurring before the onset of the pandemic and 12,090 (2.8%) in the pandemic period. In June 2020, conceptions resulting in births decreased by 26.6% compared with June 2019. Trends in conceptions resulting in live births were similar, with a conception rate of 235.2 per 100,000 women of reproductive age in June 2020, compared with the expected rate of 305.0 per 100,000. In March 2020, 0.5% of conceptions that resulted in births ended in stillbirths, compared to 1.7% in March 2019. IVF conceptions ending in births declined during the pandemic, dropping to 2.5 and 2.8 per 100,000 in March and April 2020, respectively, compared with the expected 13.1 per 100,000. However, by June 2020, these rates began to recover toward the expected levels. Rates of gestational diabetes mellites (GDM), gestational hypertension (GHTN), and postpartum intensive care unit (ICU) admissions were similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic in BC, couples may have chosen to delay conception. Rates of conceptions resulting in stillbirths remained relatively unchanged. IVF conception rates were impacted by the suspension of elective procedures. Preterm birth rates slightly exceeded expected levels but remained within normal fluctuations, and small increases in GDM and GHTN prevalence were also observed.
Lee CE et al., 2024·Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC
To prospectively evaluate pain-related quality-of-life (Endometriosis Health Profile-30 [EHP-30] pain subscale) after surgery at an interdisciplinary centre of expertise for endometriosis and pelvic pain.
A prospective cohort study was completed of persons undergoing surgical management for pelvic pain between December 2013 and July 2016 at an interdisciplinary tertiary referral centre for pelvic pain and endometriosis. We compared the change in EHP-30 scores for the following scenarios: (1) type of surgery (conservative surgery vs. hysterectomy), (2) stage of endometriosis (stage I/II vs. III/IV), and (3) age (age <40 vs. age ≥40 years). We used mixed-effects models to evaluate changes in pain during follow-up after surgery.
Overall, 595 individuals met our inclusion criteria; the follow-up rate was 65.9% (392/595). In total, 436 (73.3%) underwent conservative surgery, while 159 (26.7%) underwent hysterectomy. Improvements in pain-related quality-of-life were seen for both conservative surgery and hysterectomy but greater improvements were seen with hysterectomy (P < 0.001). For conservative surgery, similar improvements in quality-of-life were observed regardless of endometriosis stage (I/II vs. III/IV) (P = 0.84) or age (<40 or ≥40 years old) (P = 0.87). We also observed similar improvements in quality-of-life regardless of stage (P = 0.24) or age (P = 0.71) after hysterectomy.
At an interdisciplinary centre of expertise, there were significant improvements in quality-of-life after endometriosis surgery. These improvements were seen for both conservative surgery and hysterectomy (although greater improvement with the latter), for early and advanced stage disease, and younger and older patients.
Eckler R et al., 2023·European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology
To evaluate the odds of developing adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in primiparous singleton pregnancies conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) compared with pregnancies conceived without ART.
A retrospective population-based cohort study using data from the British Columbia Perinatal Data Registry. The population included primiparous women with singleton live or stillbirths delivering at or after 20 weeks' gestation between April 1st 2008-March 31st, 2021. Women who conceived with ART were compared with those who conceived without ART. The main outcome measures were gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth, low birth weight, neonatal intensive care unit admission, stillbirth, and 5-minute Apgar score. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated.
The study population included 191,059 primiparous women: 183,819 conceived without ART, 7,240 conceived using ART. After controlling for age, body mass index, pre-gestational diabetes, and smoking status, singleton pregnancies conceived by ART had significantly higher odds of gestational diabetes (OR 1.18, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.10-1.26) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (OR 1.39, 95 % CI 1.29-1.51). There were also significantly increased odds of preterm birth (OR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.25-1.46), low birth weight (OR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.23-1.49), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (OR 1.21, 95 % CI 1.11-1.32). There was not a statistically significant difference in the odds of stillbirth (OR 1.06, 95 % CI 0.72-1.57) or 5-minute Apgar score < 7 (OR 1.10, 95 % CI 0.97-1.26).
There is an increased odds of developing several adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes in primiparous singleton pregnancies conceived by ART including gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth, low birth weight, and increased incidence of neonatal intensive care unit admissions.
Although racial and ethnic disparities in adverse birth outcomes have been well documented, it is unknown whether such disparities diminish in women who use medically assisted reproduction (MAR). We examined differences in the association between maternal race and ethnicity and adverse birth outcomes among women who conceived spontaneously and those who used MAR, including assisted reproduction technology (ART), eg, in-vitro fertilization, and also non-ART MAR, eg, fertility drugs.
We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using data on all singleton births (N = 7 545 805) in the United States from 2016 to 2017. The outcomes included neonatal and fetal death, preterm birth, and serious neonatal morbidity, among others. Modified Poisson regression was used to estimate adjusted rate ratios (aRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and to assess the interactions between race and ethnicity and mode of conception.
Overall, 93 469 (1.3%) singletons were conceived by MAR. Neonatal mortality was twofold higher among infants of non-Hispanic Black versus non-Hispanic White women in the spontaneous-conception group (aRR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.8-1.9), whereas in the ART-conception group, neonatal mortality was more than fourfold higher in infants of non-Hispanic Black women (aRR = 4.1, 95% CI: 2.9-5.9). Racial and ethnic disparities between Hispanic versus non-Hispanic White women were also significantly larger among women who conceived using MAR with regard to preterm birth (<34 weeks) and perinatal mortality.
Compared to women who conceived spontaneously, racial and ethnic disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes were larger in women who used MAR. More research is needed to identify preventive measures for reducing risks among vulnerable women who use medically assisted reproduction.
Alfaraj S et al., 2021·Journal of minimally invasive gynecology
Endometriosis fertility index (EFI) is a robust tool to predict the pregnancy rate in patients with endometriosis who are attempting non-in vitro fertilization conception. However, EFI calculation requires laparoscopy. Newly established imaging techniques such as sliding sign, which is used to diagnose pouch of Douglas obliteration, could provide a promising alternative. The objective of this study was to investigate the practicality of using ultrasound data to predict a low EFI (score ≤6).
Observational study from a prospective registry (Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Interdisciplinary Cohort, clinicaltrials.gov #NCT02911090). Analyzed data were captured from December 2013 to June 2017.
Tertiary referral center at British Columbia Women's Hospital.
We analyzed data for 2583 participants from the Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Interdisciplinary Cohort. In this cross-sectional study, we included 86 women aged <40 years.
Dynamic ultrasonography for the sliding sign testing and EFI calculation during laparoscopic surgery.
Logistic regression was used to obtain receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) for the prediction models. Significance was p <.05. Patients with a negative sliding sign were older and had severe endometriosis and longer duration of infertility. Patients with a negative sliding sign had significantly lower total EFI scores and lower surgical factors scores than patients with a positive sliding sign. Logistic regression showed that a negative sliding sign and EFI historic factors score can predict an EFI score ≤6 (sensitivity = 87.9%, specificity = 81.1%, AUC = 0.93 [95% confidence interval, 0.88-0.98]). Adding the diagnosis of endometrioma to the previous prediction model resulted in AUC = 0.95 (95% confidence interval, 0.90-0.995), sensitivity = 84.8%, and specificity = 92.5%.
The sliding sign could be a potential alternative to the EFI surgical factors, and it could be used in combination with EFI historic factors and the diagnosis of endometrioma to predict an EFI score ≤6 for patients who are not scheduled for immediate surgery.
Yong PJ et al., 2020·Human reproduction open·Free full text on PubMed Central
What are the use patterns and factors associated with combined hormonal contraception (CHC) ineffectiveness or discontinuation due to side-effects in patients with endometriosis and pelvic pain?
Worse chronic pelvic pain (CPP) severity and pelvic floor myalgia were associated with continuous CHC ineffectiveness, while poorer quality-of-life was associated with continuous CHC discontinuation due to side-effects.
CHC is a first line of therapy for endometriosis-associated pelvic pain in women. However, some patients state that CHC is ineffective for their pain, while others have to discontinue CHC due to side-effects.
Analysis of a prospective patient database from a tertiary care referral center for patients with endometriosis and pelvic pain between December 2013 and April 2015 was carried out.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS A total of 373 patients of reproductive age with endometriosis from the database were included in the study. Data included patient self-reported questionnaires, physical examination findings and validated instruments. There were four variables of interest: history of cyclical CHC ineffectiveness (yes/no), history of cyclical CHC discontinuation due to side-effects (yes/no), history of continuous CHC ineffectiveness (yes/no) and history of continuous CHC discontinuation due to side-effects (yes/no). The primary outcome was CPP severity for the past 3 months (score of 0-10), and secondary outcomes were other pelvic pain scores, quality-of-life on the Endometriosis Health Profile 30 (EHP-30) and underlying conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, painful bladder syndrome, abdominal wall pain, pelvic floor myalgia and depression, anxiety and pain catastrophizing.
MAIN Among the 373 cases in the dataset, prior cyclical CHC use was reported by 228 (61.1%) women, of which 103 (27.6%) stated it was ineffective for their pain and 94 (25.2%) stated they discontinued CHC due to side-effects. Previous continuous CHC use was reported by 175 (46.9%) women, of which 67 (18.0%) stated it was ineffective and 59 (15.8%) stated they discontinued due to side-effects. Worse CPP severity in the last 3 months was associated with a history of continuous CHC ineffectiveness (P < 0.001). Poorer quality-of-life was present in women who reported a history of continuous CHC discontinuation due to side-effects (P = 0.005). Among the underlying conditions, pelvic floor tenderness (as a marker of pelvic floor myalgia) was associated with CHC ineffectiveness.
LIMITATIONS This study involved patient recall and no longitudinal follow-up. Also, we do not have data on the type of side-effect that led to discontinuation. Medication ineffectiveness was reported subjectively by the patient rather than using standardized criteria. Finally, the diagnosis of endometriosis was based on previous surgery or a current nodule or endometrioma on examination/ultrasound; without prospective surgical data on all the patients, it was not possible to do a sub-analysis by current surgical features (e.g. stage).
In women with endometriosis, CHC ineffectiveness was associated with worse CPP and pelvic floor myalgia, which suggests myofascial or nervous system contributors to CPP that does not respond to hormonal suppression. A tender pelvic floor, as a sign of pelvic floor myalgia, may be a clinical marker of patients with endometriosis who are less likely to have an optimal response to hormonal suppression. For women who discontinue CHC due to side-effects, research is needed to help alleviate these side-effects as these patients report worse quality-of-life.
This work was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Transitional Open Operating Grant (MOP-142273) as well as BC Women's Hospital and the Women's Health Research Institute. PY is also supported by a Health Professional Investigator Award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. MB/CA has financial affiliations with Abbvie and Allergan; the other authors have no conflicts of interest.
Williams C et al., 2019·Journal of minimally invasive gynecology
To investigate ethnic differences for moderate-to-severe endometriosis.
Analysis of a prospective registry (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
Tertiary referral center.
A total of 1594 women with pelvic pain and/or endometriosis.
None On logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders, East/South East Asians were 8.3 times more likely than whites to have a previous diagnosis of stage III/IV endometriosis before referral (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.74-18.57), 2.7 times more likely to have a palpable nodule (aOR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.57-4.52), 4.1 times more likely to have an endometrioma on ultrasound (aOR, 4.10; 95% CI, 2.68-6.26), and 10.9 times more likely to have stage III/IV endometriosis at the time of surgery at our center (aOR, 10.87; 95% CI, 4.34-27.21).
Moderate-to-severe endometriosis was more common in women with East or South East Asian ethnicity in our tertiary referral center. This could be explained by East/South East Asians with minimal to mild disease being less likely to seek care or genetic/environmental differences that increase the risk of more severe disease among East/South East Asians. (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02911090.).
Lisonkova S et al., 2019·BMJ open·Free full text on PubMed Central
To examine temporal trend in maternal mortality/severe morbidity associated with hospitalisation due to ectopic pregnancy.
A population-based observational study.
All women hospitalised for ectopic pregnancy in Washington State, USA, 1987-2014 (n=20 418). The main composite outcome of severe morbidity/mortality included death, sepsis, need for transfusion, hysterectomy and systemic or organ failure, identified by diagnostic and procedure codes from hospitalisation files. Severe morbidity/mortality due to ectopic pregnancy were expressed as incidence ratios among women of reproductive age (15-64 years) and among women hospitalised for ectopic pregnancy. Comparisons were made between 1987-1991 (reference) and 2010-2014 using ratios of incidence ratios (RR) and ratio differences (RD). The Cochran-Armitage test for trend assessed statistical significance; logistic regression was used to obtain adjusted OR (AOR) and 95% CI, adjusted for demographic factors and comorbidity.
Hospitalisation for ectopic pregnancy declined from 0.89 to 0.16 per 1000 reproductive age women between 1987-1991 and 2010-2014 (p<0.001). Among reproductive age women, ectopic pregnancy mortality remained stable (0.03 per 100 000); and mortality/severe morbidity increased among women aged 25-34 years (p=0.022). Among women hospitalised for ectopic pregnancy, mortality increased from 0.29 to 1.65 per 1000 between 1987-1991 and 2010-2015 (p=0.06); severe morbidity/mortality increased from 3.85% to 19.63% (RR=5.10, 95% CI 4.36 to 5.98; RD=15.78 per 100 women, 95% CI 13.90 to 17.66; AOR for 1-year change was 1.08, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.08).
Hospitalisation for ectopic pregnancy declined in Washington State, USA, between 1987 and 2014; however, mortality/severe morbidity associated with ectopic pregnancy increased in female population aged 25-34 years.
Allaire C et al., 2018·American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
Chronic pelvic pain affects ∼15% of women, and presents a challenging problem for gynecologists due to its complex etiology involving multiple comorbidities. Thus, an interdisciplinary approach has been proposed for chronic pelvic pain, where these multifactorial comorbidities can be addressed by different interventions at a single integrated center. Moreover, while cross-sectional studies can provide some insight into the association between these comorbidities and chronic pelvic pain severity, prospective longitudinal cohorts can identify comorbidities associated with changes in chronic pelvic pain severity over time.
We sought to describe trends and factors associated with chronic pelvic pain severity over a 1-year prospective cohort at an interdisciplinary center, with a focus on the role of comorbidities and controlling for baseline pain, demographic factors, and treatment effects.
This was a prospective 1-year cohort study at an interdisciplinary tertiary referral center for pelvic pain and endometriosis, which provides minimally invasive surgery, medical management, pain education, physiotherapy, and psychological therapies. Exclusion criteria included menopause or age >50 years. Sample size was 296 (57% response rate at 1 year; 296/525). Primary outcome was chronic pelvic pain severity at 1 year on an 11-point numeric rating scale (0-10), which was categorized for ordinal regression (none-mild 0-3, moderate 4-6, severe 7-10). Secondary outcomes included functional quality of life and health utilization. Baseline comorbidities were endometriosis, irritable bowel syndrome, painful bladder syndrome, abdominal wall pain, pelvic floor myalgia, and validated questionnaires for depression, anxiety, and catastrophizing. Multivariable ordinal regression was used to identify baseline comorbidities associated with the primary outcome at 1 year.
Chronic pelvic pain severity decreased by a median 2 points from baseline to 1 year (6/10-4/10, P < .001). There was also an improvement in functional quality of life (42-29% on the pain subscale of the Endometriosis Health Profile-30, P < .001), and a reduction in subjects requiring a physician visit (73-36%, P < .001) or emergency visit (24-11%, P < .001) in the last 3 months. On multivariable ordinal regression for the primary outcome, chronic pelvic pain severity at 1 year was independently associated with a higher score on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale at baseline (odds ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.21, P = .04), controlling for baseline pain, treatment effects (surgery), age, and referral status.
Improvements in chronic pelvic pain severity, quality of life, and health care utilization were observed in a 1-year cohort in an interdisciplinary setting. Higher pain catastrophizing at baseline was associated with greater chronic pelvic pain severity at 1 year. Consideration should be given to stratifying pelvic pain patients by catastrophizing level (rumination, magnification, helplessness) in research studies and in clinical practice.
Shum LK et al., 2018·Sexual medicine·Free full text on PubMed Central
Deep dyspareunia occurs in half of women with endometriosis, a condition present in 10% of reproductive-age women and associated with negative effects on sexual quality of life (SQoL). However, women with endometriosis can have other clinical factors (eg, superficial dyspareunia, other pelvic pains, and psychological or pain conditions) possibly affecting SQoL. To determine whether deep dyspareunia is associated with SQoL in women with endometriosis, independent of potential confounders. This study involved a prospective patient registry of women at a tertiary-level referral center for endometriosis and pelvic pain. Inclusion criteria were (i) referrals to the center recruited into the registry from January 2014 through December 2016 and (ii) subsequent surgery at the center with histologic confirmation of endometriosis. Exclusion criteria included menopausal status, age at least 50 years, never sexually active, or did not answer dyspareunia or SQoL questions. Bi-variable tests and multiple linear regression analysis were performed. SQoL measured by the 5-item sexual intercourse subscale of the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30) modular questionnaire (0-100%, with higher scores indicating worse SQoL). Consent rate for the prospective registry was 87%; 277 women met the study criteria (mean age = 34.2 ± 7.1 years). Most women had stage I to II endometriosis at time of surgery (64%), with the remaining having stage III to IV endometriosis. Through regression analysis, worse SQoL (higher EHP-30 sexual intercourse subscale score) was independently associated with: more severe deep dyspareunia (P < .0001), more severe superficial dyspareunia (P < .0001), increased depression (P < .001), higher pain catastrophizing (P = .04), bladder pain syndrome (P = .02), heterosexual orientation (P < .001), and new referral status (P = .02). In women with endometriosis at a tertiary referral center, more severe deep dyspareunia was associated with worse SQoL, independent of superficial dyspareunia, psychological comorbidities, and other potential confounders. Shum LK, Bedaiwy MA, Allaire C, et al. Deep Dyspareunia and Sexual Quality of Life in Women With Endometriosis. Sex Med 2018;6:224-233.
Orr NL et al., 2018·The journal of sexual medicine
The etiology of endometriosis-associated deep dyspareunia may include direct endometriosis-specific factors (eg, stage or invasiveness of disease) and/or indirect contributors such as bladder/pelvic floor dysfunction (eg, related to myofascial mechanisms or nervous system sensitization).
This study aimed to determine whether bladder/pelvic floor tenderness and painful bladder syndrome were associated with severity of deep dyspareunia in women with endometriosis, regardless of Stage (I/II vs III/IV) or other endometriosis-specific factors.
Observational study from a prospective patient registry (January 2014 to December 2016) at a tertiary centre for endometriosis. Included were women aged 18 to 49 years who had surgical removal and histopathologic confirmation of endometriosis at the centre. Cases with Stage I/II vs Stage III/IV endometriosis were analyzed separately. Bivariate associations with the primary outcome (severity of deep dyspareunia) were tested for bladder/pelvic floor tenderness, painful bladder syndrome, as well as endometriosis-specific factors identified at the time of laparoscopic surgery (eg, deep infiltrating endometriosis) and demographic factors (eg, age). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was carried out to adjust for factors associated with the primary outcome.
Primary outcome was severity of deep dyspareunia on an 11-point numeric rating scale, categorized as none/mild (0-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10), from a preoperative self-reported questionnaire.
Overall, 411 women had surgically confirmed endometriosis: 263 had Stage I/II and 148 had Stage III/IV endometriosis. Among women with Stage I/II endometriosis, severity of deep dyspareunia was associated with both bladder/pelvic floor tenderness and painful bladder syndrome (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.11-3.38, P = .019 and AOR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.15-3.44, P = .013, respectively), independent of endometriosis-specific factors or other factors associated with deep dyspareunia severity. Similar associations were found in women with Stage III/IV endometriosis (bladder/pelvic floor tenderness AOR =2.51, 95% CI: 1.25-5.02, P = .01, painful bladder syndrome: AOR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.01-3.57, P = .048).
Myofascial or nervous system mechanisms may be important for deep dyspareunia in women with endometriosis, even in those with moderate-to-severe disease (Stage III/IV).
Strengths include the prospective registry, and histological confirmation of endometriosis and staging by experienced endometriosis surgeons. Limitations include assessment of only one pelvic floor muscle (levator ani).
In women with Stage I/II or Stage III/IV endometriosis, severity of deep dyspareunia was strongly associated with bladder/pelvic floor tenderness and painful bladder syndrome, independent of endometriosis-specific factors, which suggests the role of myofascial or sensitization pain mechanisms in some women with deep dyspareunia. Orr NL, Noga H, Williams C, et al. Deep Dyspareunia in Endometriosis: Role of the Bladder and Pelvic Floor. J Sex Med 2018;15:1158-1166.
McPeak AE et al., 2018·The Clinical journal of pain
To determine if pain catastrophizing is independently associated with pain health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in women with endometriosis, independent of potential confounders.
Analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from a prospective database at a tertiary referral center for endometriosis/pelvic pain. Referrals to the center were recruited between December 2013 to April 2015, with data collected from online patient questionnaires, physical examination, and review of medical records. The primary outcome was HRQoL as measured by the 11-item pain subscale of the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 questionnaire. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale was the independent variable of interest. Other independent variables (potential confounders) included other psychological measures, pain severity, comorbid pain conditions, and social-behavioral and demographic variables. Multivariable linear regression was used to control for these potential confounders and assess independent associations with the primary outcome.
In total, 236 women were included (87% consent rate). The mean age was 35.0±7.3 years, and 98 (42%) had stage I to II endometriosis, 110 (47%) had stage III to IV endometriosis, and 28 (11%) were of unknown stage after review of operative records. Regression analysis demonstrated that higher pain catastrophizing (P<0.001), more severe chronic pelvic pain (P<0.001), more severe dysmenorrhea (P<0.001), and abdominal wall pain (positive Carnett test) (P=0.033) were independently associated with worse pain HRQoL.
Higher pain catastrophizing was associated with a reduced pain HRQoL in women with endometriosis at a tertiary referral center, independent of pain severity and other potential confounders.
Yong PJ et al., 2018·The journal of sexual medicine
Deep dyspareunia is a common symptom in women, including in half of women with endometriosis, but little is known about its response to treatment and predictors of persistent deep dyspareunia over time.
To follow up deep dyspareunia severity over a 1-year prospective cohort at an interdisciplinary center, and to identify baseline predictors of more persistent deep dyspareunia at 1 year.
Prospective 1-year cohort study at a tertiary referral center for pelvic pain and endometriosis, where a range of interdisciplinary treatments are provided at a single center (surgical, hormonal, physical, and psychological therapies). Exclusion criteria were menopause, age >50 years, and never previously sexually active. Primary outcome (deep dyspareunia severity) and secondary outcome (sexual quality of life) were followed up over 1 year. Ordinal logistic regression was performed, controlling for baseline severity of deep dyspareunia, to identify baseline predictors of deep dyspareunia severity at 1 year.
Primary outcome was severity of deep dyspareunia on an 11-point numeric rating scale (0-10), categorized into absent-mild (0-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10); secondary outcome was sexual quality of life measured by the Endometriosis Health Profile-30.
1-year follow-up was obtained for 278 subjects (56% response rate at 1 year; 278/497). Severity of deep dyspareunia improved over the 1 year (McNemar test, P < .0001): the proportion of patients in the severe category decreased from 55.0% to 30.4%, the moderate category remained similar from 17.7% to 25.0%, and the absent-mild category increased from 27.3% to 44.6%. Sexual quality of life also improved (56% to 43% on the sex subscale of the Endometriosis Health Profile-30) (Welch t test, P < .001). On ordinal regression, severity of deep dyspareunia at 1 year was independently associated with younger age (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.91-0.97, P = .008), and with a higher baseline depression score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.03-1.11, P = .01).
Clinicians should consider employing an interdisciplinary approach for deep dyspareunia, and screening for and treating depression symptoms in these women.
Strengths of the study include its prospective nature, and assessment of deep dyspareunia specifically (as opposed to superficial dyspareunia). Limitations include non-randomized design, and the patients lost to follow-up over the 1 year.
Over 1 year in an interdisciplinary setting, improvements were observed in deep dyspareunia and sexual quality of life, but younger women and those with more severe depression at baseline had more persistent deep dyspareunia at 1 year. Yong PJ, Williams C, Bodmer-Roy S, et al. Prospective Cohort of Deep Dyspareunia in an Interdisciplinary Setting. J Sex Med 2018;15:1765-1775.
Yong PJ et al., 2017·Sexual medicine·Free full text on PubMed Central
Deep dyspareunia negatively affects women's sexual function. There is a known association between deep dyspareunia and endometriosis of the cul-de-sac or uterosacral ligaments in reproductive-age women; however, other factors are less clear in this population.
To identify anatomic sites and associated clinical factors for deep dyspareunia in reproductive-age women at a referral center.
This study involved the analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from a prospective database of 548 women (87% consent rate) recruited from December 2013 through April 2015 at a tertiary referral center for endometriosis and/or pelvic pain. Exclusion criteria included menopausal status, age at least 50 years, previous hysterectomy or oophorectomy, and not sexually active. We performed a standardized endovaginal ultrasound-assisted pelvic examination to palpate anatomic structures for tenderness and reproduce deep dyspareunia. Multivariable regression was used to determine which tender anatomic structures were independently associated with deep dyspareunia severity and to identify clinical factors independently associated with each tender anatomic site.
Severity of deep dyspareunia on a numeric pain rating scale of 0 to 10.
Severity of deep dyspareunia (scale = 0-10) was independently associated with tenderness of the bladder (b = 0.88, P = .018), pelvic floor (levator ani) (b = 0.66, P = .038), cervix and uterus (b = 0.88, P = .008), and cul-de-sac or uterosacral ligaments (b = 1.39, P < .001), but not with the adnexa (b = -0.16, P = 0.87). The number of tender anatomic sites was significantly correlated with more severe deep dyspareunia (Spearman r = 0.34, P < .001). For associated clinical factors, greater depression symptom severity was specifically associated with tenderness of the bladder (b = 1.05, P = .008) and pelvic floor (b = 1.07, P < .001). A history of miscarriage was specifically associated with tenderness of the cervix and uterus (b = 2.24, P = .001). Endometriosis was specifically associated with tenderness of the cul-de-sac or uterosacral ligaments (b = 3.54, P < .001).
In reproductive-age women at a tertiary referral center, deep dyspareunia was independently associated not only with tenderness of the cul-de-sac and uterosacral ligaments but also with tenderness of the bladder, pelvic floor, and cervix and uterus. Yong PJ, Williams C, Yosef A, et al. Anatomic Sites and Associated Clinical Factors for Deep Dyspareunia. Sex Med 2017;5:e184-e195.
Yosef A et al., 2016·American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
Chronic pelvic pain affects ∼15% of women, and is associated with significant societal cost and impact on women's health. Identifying factors involved in chronic pelvic pain is challenging due to its multifactorial nature and confounding between potential factors. For example, while some women with endometriosis have chronic pelvic pain, there may be comorbid conditions that are implicated in the chronic pelvic pain rather than the endometriosis itself.
We sought to explore multifactorial variables independently associated with the severity of chronic pelvic pain in women.
We used baseline cross-sectional data from an ongoing prospective cohort, collected from patient online questionnaires, physical examination, and physician review of medical records. Participants were recruited from a tertiary referral center for endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from December 2013 through April 2015. Exclusion criteria included menopausal status or age >50 years. Primary outcome was self-reported severity of chronic pelvic pain in the last 3 months (0-10 numeric rating scale). Potential associated factors ranged from known pain conditions assessed by standard diagnostic criteria, validated psychological questionnaires, musculoskeletal physical exam findings, as well as pain-related, reproductive, medical/surgical, familial, demographic, and behavioral characteristics. Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, or Spearman test were used to identify variables with an association with the primary outcome (P < .05), followed by multivariable linear regression to control for confounding and to identify independent associations with the primary outcome (P < .05).
Overall, 656 women were included (87% consent rate), of whom 55% were diagnosed with endometriosis. The following factors were independently associated with higher severity of chronic pelvic pain: abdominal wall pain (P = .005), pelvic floor tenderness (P = .004), painful bladder syndrome (P = .019), higher score on Pain Catastrophizing Scale (P < .001), adult sexual assault (P = .043), higher body mass index (P = .023), current smoking (P = .049), and family history of chronic pain (P = .038). Severity of chronic pelvic pain was similar between women with and without endometriosis.
Multifactorial variables independently associated with severity of chronic pelvic pain were identified, ranging from myofascial/musculoskeletal, urological, family history, and psycho-social factors. Continued research is required to validate these factors and to determine whether any are potentially modifiable for the management of chronic pelvic pain.
Chen I et al., 2014·Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC
To examine the relative frequency and surgical outcomes of laparoscopic myomectomy compared with abdominal myomectomy in British Columbia.
A linked database containing hospital admission, operating room, and emergency room data from 2007 to 2011 from eight Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Region hospitals in British Columbia was used to conduct a retrospective cohort study of women who had myomectomy for uterine fibroids. All consecutive women who had abdominal or laparoscopic myomectomy at five hospitals were included in the study. Patients who had submucosal fibroids or hysteroscopic procedures were excluded. Abdominal and laparoscopic myomectomies were contrasted in terms of patient characteristics and surgical outcomes. Statistical significance was assessed using t tests, Wilcoxon, chi-square, and Fisher exact test; a two-sided P value < 0.05 was considered significant.
Of eight hospitals offering gynaecologic surgery, myomectomies were performed at five hospitals located in metropolitan areas. Of 436 women undergoing myomectomy, 88 cases (20.2%) were laparoscopic, 342 (78.4%) were abdominal, and 6 (1.38%) were laparoscopic with conversion to laparotomy. Women who had laparoscopic rather than abdominal myomectomies were slightly older (mean 38.7 vs. 37.4 years, respectively, P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in median operative time (106 vs. 95 min), but length of stay was decreased for laparoscopic myomectomies (median 1 vs. 2 days, P < 0.01). No significant differences were observed between laparoscopic and abdominal routes in the rates of admission to intensive care, prolonged hospitalization (> 3 days), or rehospitalization.
Myomectomies are performed in urban, metropolitan areas in British Columbia, and a significant fraction of myomectomies are performed by laparoscopy. Compared with abdominal myomectomies, laparoscopic myomectomies in pre-selected patients are associated with decreased length of stay and comparable perioperative surgical outcomes.
Chen I et al., 2014·CMAJ open·Free full text on PubMed Central
Minimally invasive hysterectomies performed vaginally or laparoscopically are associated with decreased perioperative morbidity. We examined temporal trends and patient and hospital factors associated with the routes of hysterectomy used in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care regions in British Columbia.
We performed a retrospective cohort study of all women who had an elective hysterectomy for a benign indication between 2007 and 2011 in 8 hospitals in the region. Logistic regression modeling with mixed effects was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for patient and hospital characteristics associated with the route of hysterectomy.
The study involved 4372 women who underwent abdominal (52.3%), vaginal (25.5%) or laparoscopic (22.3%) hysterectomy. From 2007 to 2011, the number of abdominal hysterectomies performed decreased from 58.4% to 47.7%, the number of vaginal hysterectomies performed decreased from 27.5% to 21.1% and the number of laparoscopic hysterectomies performed increased from 14.2% to 31.2% (p < 0.001 for all trends). Patient factors associated with laparoscopic versus abdominal hysterectomy included young age, pain or prolapse indication, absence of fibroid indication, absence of concurrent gynecologic procedure, rural residence and lower socioeconomic status. Patient factors associated with vaginal hysterectomy included older age, prolapse indication and concurrent procedure for prolapse. Hospital location and size were not significantly associated with vaginal hysterectomy, but urban hospital location was associated with laparoscopic hysterectomy.
The proportion of minimally invasive hysterectomies is increasing and represents approximately half of all hysterectomies performed in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care regions. Vaginal hysterectomies are associated with patient characteristics, whereas laparoscopic hysterectomies are associated with patient and hospital characteristics.